Much to digest in Europe’s telecoms reform (Copy)

The European Commission’s substantive review and recasting of telecoms regulation, announced in September, is still being digested. Law firm Latham & Watkins has one of the best digests on the web. As the authors say: “The new regulations are meant to support several of the Commission’s far-reaching strategic connectivity objectives such as improving very high speed internet connectivity to key socioeconomic hubs (schools, transport hubs, hospitals, etc.), delivering very high speed (100 Mbps) Internet to all European households, and a plan to deliver 5G wireless coverage across Europe.” Specifically, the proposals include: a new European Electronic Communications Code; the upgrade of the Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications (BEREC) to a full-fledged EU agency with increased powers; a 5G action plan; and an initiative to help villages and cities roll out free public WiFi (WiFi4EU). As they add, the proposals follow on from the Commission’s previous digital single market (DSM) proposals on online platforms, geo-blocking, cross-border parcel delivery and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive updates in May 2016, and were also released alongside a modernisation of the EU’s copyright rules. The new Code though is the centrepiece: “As currently drafted, the proposed Code would require recasting the four existing directives (Framework, Authorisation, Access and Universal Services), and replace them with one directive.” Read more

Thursday, 03 November 2016

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